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Do You Need to Worry About Car Hackers?

We live in a world where our cars now know very much about us — everything from our favorite radio stations to our home addresses. Have you ever wondered what’s keeping this information safe when vehicles are connected to the internet? Or how easy it is for someone to gain access to this information?

According to computer engineers, access to your vehicle isn’t as secure as one might think. In fact, one day hackers could possibly have the ability to crash your car. According to CNNMoney, a report was compiled by Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey’s staff that included inquiries from most major car manufacturers. The report found that although 100% of modern cars have wireless technology baked in, many of the access points to this technology are insufficiently protected.

The Findings

According to the source, you should think of your car like you would a smartphone. At least five major auto makers track your physical location, your car’s fuel and speed, and details about how you steer, use your seat belt, and apply the brakes.

Additionally, the report says that 50% of car makers collect driving history and transmit it to computer servers. Many auto companies assert a right to share this information with marketers. The report found that only two car makers allow drivers to disable data collection, five companies allow you to delete data from your dashboard, and two auto makers don’t collect personally identifiable information at all.